THE INNER CIRCLE

The second album of Evergrey I bought was this one, without thought. I could not listen to it properly, but at the time, it seemed like just an album that shouts out Christian propaganda. No offense.

Then I realized it was so much more, SO MUCH MORE than that.

Instrumentally (and in the essence of conviction);

Jonas Ekdahl disappointed me with this. Although in "When the Walls Come Down", there were pretty good partitions, the drums were quite simple in this album. Not very good. The guitar work threw me to amazement as always, and I was glad to see that Tom Englund did try some new things in this one. The atmosphere that the Gothanburg Symphony Orchestra added gives one a true feeling of closure when listening; it's not dark, but not light either, with sorrow and joy it sings. Especially some parts are very enchanting. But, the down side is, I haven't found what I wished to in the guitar solos. They were good, but not good ENOUGH. But that may be just me.

Lyrically (and as for waking up blind);

WOW. Just one word is enough. At first it does seem like it is a big shout out to their religion, including the passages from The Bible that are printed in the background of the lyrics, but there is much more to that. It was my stupidity to miss the name "The Inner Circle" and its significance. Basically, this concept is about someone (in the plural or singular sense) joining a cult of some kind, and witnessing the rituals and likewise they do in the name of God (which makes me think they are extremists of some kind), he regrets his choice, deeply, and returns to his old faith... or does he? "Faith Restored" shows the main character's desire to go back to his old ways and be released from the choking circle, but then he finds out something that reveals the essence of the concept; whether it is a God bound to a religion or a self-proclaimed one, not giving up faith in SOMETHING - ANYTHING AT ALL.

Well, that being said, its a suberb album with an amazing concept, somehow I find to be more amazing than Pain of Salvation's "BE". This album is a must-have.

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